On September 20, 2014, I’ll be premiering a new piece at La Caravan Dance Theatre‘s fundraiser, La Soirée. Please join us if you can. Tickets are available through La Caravan.

In August, Artistic Director Maya Lewandowsky asked if I would be interested in writing, composing, and performing in a new Dance Opera she is developing based on the work of 13th century poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. I’ve loved Rumi’s work for a number of years and Maya and I have been talking about collaborating since we met at The Banff Centre in 2012 so this is a great opportunity to create new work.

Maya’s company, La Caravan Dance Theatre, created and performed the genre of Dance Opera in their interdisciplinary piece “The Dybbuk” featuring the music of Steven Gellman. In this genre of work, the dancers sing, the musicians move, and the piece comes together into an exquisite whole.

Those of you familiar with my performance work can easily see why I am so excited about this project! We are aiming for November 2015 to premiere the piece.

OTHER UPCOMING PROJECTS

November 7 & 8 2014 – PAVED arts & SSO CORE Series
Ellen Moffat and I are collaborating on a piece of New Media Chamber Music Theatre based on three poems by Gertrude Stein from her book Tender Buttons: Chair. Table. Book. I am writing music and stage directions and Ellen is creating new electroacoustic instruments and live video effects. The CORE series sells out quickly so watch for when tickets go on sale.

University of Saskatchewan Drama Department
– I am a sessional lecturer in the Drama Department this fall teaching Voice and Speech for Actors. I am thrilled to be teaching at the UofS and have a wonderful group of students. And just so I don’t get a ton of emails about it: This class is NOT open to the public and CANNOT be audited.

– I will be music directing–under the direction of Natasha Martina–the 2nd MainStage production at Greystone Theatre: Coram Boy. From the UofS Drama Department page:

“Coram Boy is a tale of two orphans at the Coram Hospital for Foundling Children: Toby, saved from an African slave ship, and Aaron, the abandoned son of the heir to a great estate. Also a tale of fathers and sons: slave-trader Otis and his son Meshak, and Sir William Ashbrook the son he disinherits.”
The entire story is infused with music from Handel’s Messiah performed by a live choir.
Adapted by Helen Edmundson based on Jamila Gavin’s Whitbread Award-winning novel

As always, I’ll keep you updated via this blog.